Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Demon
Label: Spaced Out Music
Release: 2016
Runtime: 55:37
Rating: 4/5
Demon have always been among the biggest oddballs of the NWOBHM scene. They got fed up with classic British-school heavy metal pretty quickly and started experimenting with progressive rock even before the mid-eighties, and on later albums they sailed more or less successfully somewhere between metal, hard rock and prog. That means they had an often overlooked but far from negligible influence on the rise of progressive metal, and they were also one of the few British new-wave metal bands with a keyboardist in the ranks, though not from day one. The pivotal moment of their career was probably the premature death of original guitarist Mal Spooner in 1984, which triggered a big stylistic shift and brought keyboards into their sonic collage, so on »British Standard Approved« and »Heart of Our Time« (both from 1985) they sounded more like Pink Floyd than Iron Maiden.
»Cemetery Junction« is the title of their latest, thirteenth studio album, and it will delight all the long-time faithful. It’s a classic heavy metal record with the dark, socially provocative lyrics they’ve always been known for, quality keyboard arrangements courtesy of Karl Waye, plenty of rich guitar harmonies between David Cotterill and Paul Hume, and bravura vocal performances from Dave Hill, the only original member left in this far-too-often overlooked NWOBHM institution. Demon aren’t messing around on »Cemetery Junction«. Right from the opener »Are You Just Like Me (Spirit of Man)« they hit with full force, leaning heavily on mighty guitar harmonies, massive layers of organ and Hill’s charismatic vocal, which hasn’t lost any of its edge and authority over the years. Even though Demon are one of the very rare NWOBHM acts that swear by keyboards, this takes nothing away from the punch and rebellious fighting spirit of their music. If anything, it enriches the whole sound and adds a touch of uniqueness.
The dramatic »Life in Berlin« boasts a mighty chorus, galloping rhythmic nuances and epic guitar harmonies, while the no less impressive »Turn On the Magic« has a perfect retro eighties flavor, which is partly the ‘fault’ of the album’s production. The guitar harmonies, not to mention the solos, are top-notch the whole way through and worthy of their famous legacy. »The Best Is Yet to Come« is just the right mix of classic metal and pompous arena rock, with dramatic guitar harmonies, subtle synth textures and a fiery vocal performance that keeps the majestic atmosphere running at full throttle.
The melancholic »Queen of Hollywood«, with a few interesting bass lines from Ray Walmsley, subtle keyboard arrangements and dramatic multi-part vocals, while Hill dumps a whole bucket of muck on the dark side of the American film industry in the lyrics, is one of the most interesting moments on »Cemetery Junction«. »Thin Disguise«, one of the rare slower moments, has a solemn atmosphere and is a bit reminiscent of the epic power ballads typical of Magnum, with whom Demon occasionally share some sonic kinship. After a slight lull with the title track comes one of the punchiest and also best moments on the album, where a dark, spine-chilling atmosphere meets an epic sweep, thanks this time mostly to an outstanding vocal performance from Hill, while dramatic guitar harmonies build up in the background.
»Drive« sails smoothly between hard rock and melodic heavy metal while drummer Neil Ogden shows off some impressive fills, and »Miracle« is a dramatic cross between a power ballad and a hard-hitting hard rocker, led by three-part guitar harmonies. The somewhat grumpy and gloomier »Out of Control«, where Demon toy with their dark sonic roots, is a slightly chaotic experiment. The ambient-leaning closer, »Someone Is Watching You«, where Hill distorts his vocal in a chameleon-like way, could easily be the soundtrack to some dark movie, and the epic final stretch is especially thrilling, with dramatic guitar harmonies, rich keyboard arrangements and mysterious multi-part vocals. At the end you get a thunderclap, howling wolves and the whisper of ‘ghosts’.
»Cemetery Junction« is one of the better albums released in 2016 by the ‘surviving’ names of the NWOBHM scene, so the guys in Demon can be proud of it without reservation. For the most part, the classic eighties Demon ‘wake up’ again on it. Anyone who wasn’t overly thrilled by the latest studio efforts from Iron Maiden and Magnum will get a full dose of epic heavy metal/hard rock from »Cemetary Junction«, with just the right varied mix of ‘old school’ and some more modern sonic touches. Every Demon release since their return to the scene in 2001 has been more or less solid, and each new album has been a slight step up, so it’s only right that this positive trend gets properly rewarded. It’s great to hear and see that some of the cult names of the NWOBHM scene are still strong at songwriting and arranging in the 21st century, and they’ve still got plenty of youthful zeal when they play.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSzr8ENCaR0
Lineup
Dave Hill – vocals
David Coterill – guitar
Paul Hume – guitar
Ray Walmsley – bass
Karl Waye – keyboards
Neil Ogden – drums and percussion
Production
Demon
Track List
1. Are You Just Like Me (Spirit of Man)
2. Life in Berlin
3. Turn On the Magic
4. The Best Is Yet to Come
5. Queen of Hollywood
6. Thin Disguise
7. Cemetery Junction
8. Drive
9. Miracle
10. Out of Control
11. Someone’s Watching You
